Category: Liqueurs & mixers

Bitters / Daily Mix / Gin / Maraschino / Martini Monday / Vermouth (sweet & dry)

Boomerang

If you’ve got a good bottle of London dry gin, the BOOMERANG returns an expanded and more flavorful variation of a gin martini. It’s really just a couple of adjustments: Proportions are slightly different and it adds maraschino liqueur (or...

Bourbon / Cointreau (orange liqueur) / Daily Mix / Orange Juice / Videos Demos

Gold Rush Cocktail (a.k.a. Chapel Hill)

When lemon and orange flavoring are mixed with bourbon, good things happen. The GOLD RUSH (EXPANDED) is one such drink and is one of my favorites. If you ask for one at a bar, they’ll hand you a Whiskey Sour...

Bitters / Cointreau (orange liqueur) / Daily Mix / Gin / Seasonal Sunday

Flying Dutchman

The FLYING DUTCHMAN is a legendary ghost ship from the 17th century that can never make port and is doomed to sail the oceans forever (see “History” below). Or, it’s a classic gin cocktail. This is a simple yet tasty...

Daily Mix / Martini Monday / Midori (melon) / St-Germain (elderflower) / Vodka

Melon Ball Drop

The Japanese melon liqueur, Midori, is the predominant flavor of the MELON BALL DROP. The sweetness of the Midori, and to a lesser extent the elderflower liqueur, is balanced nicely by vodka and fresh lemon juice. It’s a popular choice...

Daily Mix / Grapefruit Juice / Scotch / St-Germain (elderflower) / Whiskey (blended)

Cooper

The COOPER is a combo of Irish whiskey, St-Germain elderflower liqueur and a hint of Laphroaig scotch. It’s a “tasty and tough” cocktail pour from the ingenious folks at one of Pittsburgh’s popular Strip District restaurants, Bar Marco. Recipe is...

Daily Mix / Grenadine / Orange Juice / Pineapple Juice / Rum / Seasonal Sunday

Rum Punch

The RUM PUNCH can easily be too sweet, or it can be perfectly balanced and refreshing. This particular recipe is one I consider excellent, balanced between fruity refreshment and gutsy rum strength. Learned from a Cape Cod bartender, the key...

Aperol/Campari/Cynar / Daily Mix / Grenadine / Scotch / Whiskey (blended)

Cave Creek

The CAVE CREEK cocktail has a similar theme as the Boulevardier, but balances the Campari with grenadine, and substitutes rye and Scotch whisky for bourbon. Nate Dumas, at the Shanty (NY Distilling Co., Brooklyn, NY), originally mixed it to be...

Daily Mix / Gin / Orange Juice / Pernod / Rum / Throwback Thursday / Vermouth (sweet & dry)

Quarantine

The QUARANTINE is a nine-ingredient cocktail that I admit is worth the gathering of ingredients. Aside from separating egg-white in order to add into the drink, it really only takes ten minutes to prepare. And what better drink for our...

Daily Mix / Throwback Thursday / Vermouth (sweet & dry) / Vodka

Martini (Dry)

The VODKA MARTINI gradually overtook the popular gin martini when vodka achieved worldwide popularity beginning in the 1940’s. It didn’t hurt that the “vodka martini, shaken-not-stirred” was ordered in every James Bond movie in the 60’s. It’s simple to make,...

Cointreau (orange liqueur) / Cranberry Juice / Daily Mix / Martini Monday / Vodka

Cosmopolitan (Cosmo)

The COSMOPOLITAN martini, or “Cosmo”, can vary from bar to bar. If you know what you like in the Cosmo, you can usually request it be made that way. If you don’t know what you like, the establishment’s mix might...